For Euphoria, then it was back to acoustic for X.

In Joey's defense...It did seem you were referring to Rick's playing both in the studio and LIVE. I was ready to jump on you for the same reason. You do say "Rick only plays the cymbals live" and that's how most people would have read it...without your clarification we wouldn't know otherwise what you meant. So it did seem you were telling people Rick only plays the cymbals when he gets on stage when I'm sure more than a few of us know that is completely way off.

Anyway, I don't see where the use of drums machines and the song writing methods need to be negative. The drum machines came into play due to the sound they wanted combined with the recording method used that required stringent perfection for it all to come together. This was a band that made the most out of available technology. I'm less forgiving of Bon Jovi using the same as I see them as being more earthy.

The song writing method of coming up with parts of songs is hardly negative. If you analyze some of the songs on Pyromania and the majority on Hysteria...they do not follow standard arrangements of Verse, Chorus, Verse, Chorus, Guitar Solo, Chorus fade out or slight variations of that. As a result, you have a more interesting listen where a 6 minute song can seem to last 3 minutes because it keeps it interesting throughout. When they talk about that method, they aren't saying they just hand picked different parts and slapped them together to make a song. It was a rigorous process that in the end is even more of a band effort. Everyone bought their cards to the table. So I personally love the method Def Leppard has used. Keep in mind that this method is not the rule for them now. But it was for Pyromania and Hysteria and largely Adrenalize.

Regarding the inspiration behind the songs not being personal. It's not an across the board deal. Some of the songs are indeed inspired by the band's own experience...but this comes more into play with the 90s and on. It's not something to sweat. I mean come on....do you really expect Joe Elliot to have gone out into a crowded public area and began firing shots randomly with a gun for inspiration in Billy's Got A Gun? I understand the distaste for the idea that a song is written as pure product, designed to sell....but it's really all in how you see it. The band was HUNGRY when making Pyromania. They were pushed to the limit creatively and it translated into sales. I see Pyromania less as pure product and more of an example of what happens when record company objectives and band objectives come together at the benefit of the music and the band itself.